I HAVE WATCHED 18 EPISODES IN THE LAST WEEK

I literally watch this show until I blackout and can no longer comprehend what is going on the episode

It is on netflix

Ok so I had an interesting conversation with my roomie (adding her here) about this show. She is in the process of watching HOMELAND from the beginning (of which I am a die-hard fan). We were laughing at how the digital age allows us to binge watch series we missed out on originally for one reason or another.

Anyway -- she said that her enjoyment of HOMELAND is clouded because she kind of hates all of the characters (which I have read other reviewers comment on in the past). She of course enjoys it, and is now addicted, but she spends a lot of time while watching being frustrated by all of the characters (except Saul). With her, WEST WING is much more enjoyable because she adores each person in the plot.

I've been chewing on this a bit.

Is that right? She hits the nail on the head with the cast's likability in WEST WING. They are all human, but still completely lovable. But that seems so COMPLETELY un-Sorkin to me. Or have I just assumed that based on THE NEWSROOM, and is actually a false assumption.

YES!! this is exactly right! I had the same exact feeling about Homeland, and have the exact same feeling about WW. West Wing is written in a pretty amazing way where there isn't really any enemy (other than "everyone who isnt a main character") which is so good.

Oooh I like that idea of "no actual enemy." I've also really been enjoying A) the fact that I don't remember any of the US Government facts I learned in 6th grade, and B) seeing "real-life" examples of what I do remember coming into play. Also, I really love how, in some ways, the biggest/only enemy of this political team is, well, politics.

Just finished S1E19 "Let Bartlet Be Bartlet" which felt like a great season cap episode (I was thrilled to realize there are 3 more episodes in Season 1) that really brings to light that idea of getting in your own way for the sake of politics.

Admittedly, I think some of why I love all the characters has to do with the fact that nothing is precious between them/about them (much like MODERN FAMILY). Stereotypes or potential for stereotypes (black, Jew, woman, inter-office love, ex-fling, etc) are everywhere, but they are all processed through this incredibly cutting, but kind, banter. The attitude towards everything is sarcastic, flippant, and snarky -- making everything a non-issue (in a good way!), at least to this snarky, flippant, sarcastic viewer.

It is also incredibly cool to see how decisions are made throughout the plot line -- tremendous amounts of trust between teammates in a way that is VERY foreign to me.

You both hit the nail on the head. The pacing and snark keep you coming back for more. The dialogue makes you feel like you are learning something about the world when it is really just fiction as well - much like a John Grisham novel. I own the box set (watched it twice plus revisiting certain shows) plus I have it on in the background when I work at home since it is on Netflix. I find that the pace keeps me energized and becomes incredibly addictive.

I am finding the second season to be less enthralling. Is it just less good or have I binged too much?

Probably binged too much. The series wanes a bit every so often but stays pretty strong throughout. There are some great episodes coming up...

Hmm okay. Maybe I will slow down a bit then. A season a week isn't a sustainable schedule anyways.

Waittt I think this show got really corny all of a sudden they just played youtube.com at the credits?!?! not very presidential.

Yeah, that happens every once in a while. Some are a bit cheesy but others are really appropriate and heighten the drama.

noooooooooo the first season was so not corny though!

Okay this definitely picked up towards the end of season 2!!!!

Yeah, it has a few rough patches like you saw but when it hits the mark it is dead on.

I'm late to this branch but I have watched 4+ seasons in the last 10 days and I am now having trouble differentiating between real life and west wing life.

More than the writing, the all star cast carries this show through some very heavy-handed Drama™. I can't stop though ;(

That's hardcore! I did something similar with The Wire and I still partially believe I may have spent time in Baltimore. Have you started walking and talking all of your conversations?

No, but I have starting putting my jacket on by throwing it over my head like Bartlett. Knocked everything off a shelf yesterday doing that, actually ;(

At work I often try to banter with people like I am on west wing. I also really want to be able to go to The President when there are disagreements in meetings.

@rgbenson is my president

Oh man he is actually a pretty good president!

Bartlett was basically the Left's heroin fantasy during W's tenure. It was the only thing that made life bearable.

Oh but for real the absolute worst part of this show is the music. It's like Jurassic Park levels of cheese that I imagine are there to lend gravitas to the show but, particularly in a chain-viewing scenario, ends up being way too distracting.

Glen, I can totally understand how this was the case -- I even now sometimes feel: if only Obama could seize the day and "Let Obama Be Obama" just as Barlet does at the end of S1 (I'm only a few into S2 -- SOB).

Intrigued by Ian's fluctuating support and doubt about S2. Curious if that is just growing pains of the sophomore effort.

Ver, I'm going to pay more attention to the music now (it hasn't overly stood out to me until your note on it) -- curious if Sorkin would have been able to ever let anything but Jurassic Park cheese be attached to his show. I think of him as the king of hyperbole and over-the-top.

Hey team. A West Wing viewing group just started on Medium (medium.com) with a new branch here as well: branch.com. Looks like this branch was ahead of the curve!

Fucking copycats

God i don't even know if I can keep watching this show. It has kind of just turned into like my natural state. Like sleeping or something. I just go home and put this show on for 4 hours. I am on season 3.

My favorite parts are the rapid-fire banter between characters. It's just like with Firefly: if you make a bunch of interesting characters, you can just let them chatter at each other and it's interesting!